DAVENPORT, IA – Summer should be a fun time for kids to enjoy family gatherings and vacation time. But for children in some families, summer can bring hunger. The Summer Food Service Program of the Iowa Department of Education provides meals for those hungry children. This program was previously administered in the Davenport Community School District (DCSD) in the summer of 2020, and this year, the program will again offer numerous sites for students, ages 18 years and younger, to receive breakfast and/or lunch. “When school is out, many people forget that for some students, their main source... Read More

As SAL Family and Community Services (SAL) celebrates its 50th year, few people have witnessed the organization’s evolution like Loredia Nunn-Dixon. Born and raised in the Quad-Cities, Nunn-Dixon began 30 years ago as an office assistant, working her way up and then over into childcare and family services. There, she saw the nonprofit’s opportunity to offer the community a fuller range of services. SAL oversees Skip-A-Long Child Development Services, which operates four childcare and learning centers in the Q-C. “Seeing the families that came in, I had a chance to experience firsthand that... Read More

In response to the Sept. 11, 2011 attacks, rocker Bruce Springsteen implored us to “Come on up for the rising.” In his 2015 musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda implored others to “rise up.” Goodwill and United Way in the Quad-Cities are both picking up the hopeful, aspirational “Rising” theme in two new initiatives, aiming for a better post-pandemic world for us all. Goodwill, the leading workforce provider in North America, on Tuesday announced a new, first-of-its-kind coalition called Rising Together, which will work to create an equitable economic recovery and provide job... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! The intertwined arts of photography, painting and filmmaking can produce a tide of emotion and giving in ways that simple words often cannot. That trio of talents are behind the latest exhibit at Bereskin Gallery & Art Academy, 2967 State St., Bettendorf. Pat Herath, executive director and founder of Moline-based Wells 4 Wellness, met this spring with Pat Beréskin, the... Read More

Choir students at United Township High School in East Moline have orchestrated creative ways to make beautiful music together, despite the dissonant challenges of Covid-19. A few weeks after an unusual, invitation-only concert in the new commons area at the school March 4, four select UT female choir members took part in a unique statewide virtual choir with the Bradley University (Peoria) Honor Choir. As did about 40 other Illinois high schoolers (including eight from Orion), they individually recorded a video in late March of them singing their part to “Afternoon on a Hill” by Eric Barnum,... Read More

Spring is here, the weather is looking better, and there’s an optimism in the air! Things are looking good, Quad-Cities! And so, it’s a great time to check out some of the POSITIVE news and stories from around the area, which we do every month in our What’s The Good News feature on QuadCities.com and KWQC-TV6’s “Paula Sands Live.” So, what’s the good news this month? Let’s find out… New Book Offering Advice To Teenagers Yours truly, Sean Leary, is working on a new book, Advice To A Teenager, based upon advice I’ve learned, been given, and will be giving to my son Jackson, who... Read More

From Eggstravaganzas to citywide egg hunts, from Easter bunny sightings to visits with baby animals, if you’re looking for fun stuff to do with your family to celebrate Easter festivities this weekend, we’ve got you covered. It’s Easter weekend, and of course there are plenty of egg hunts for you and your little ones to check out this weekend. Here’s a rundown of some of the ones the bunny is rolling in: Camden Park in Milan is holding an Easter celebration, complete with the aforementioned bunny, an egg hunt, and more, this Sunday at 2 p.m. For more details, see here. Trinity Lutheran... Read More

The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation (RIMEF) has a new scholarship for any Rock Island High School senior having a parent who has or has had a significant illness. The new “Heart of a Rock” scholarship was established by Megan Wilson and Triona Roberts, 2010 RIHS graduates, in honor and memory of their mothers (Terri Wilson and Yolanda Roberts) who both fought a battle with breast cancer. They want to support seniors who have undergone the unforeseen challenges that happen when parents are fighting illnesses, according to RIMEF. The $1,000 award will be given to one special student with... Read More

The Davenport-based River Bend Food Bank and Galesburg Community Foundation are partnering to bring a new regional food bank branch to Galesburg. The branch will provide greater access to more nutritious and perishable foods for more than 50 food pantries in eight Illinois counties. It will supply food for not only the Community Foundation’s service area of Knox and Warren counties, but also Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, McDonough and Stark counties. In addition to the River Bend Food Bank, Galesburg Branch, FISH of Galesburg will re-locate to the space, allowing for greater guest access... Read More

It seems like only yesterday when I turned 13. I remember it distinctly, from my party with my friends to some of the gifts I most cherished (a Converse All-Stars Magic Johnson t-shirt, a Duran Duran album, and other things which would certainly date me as a child of the ’80s.) This week, my own son, Jackson, turns 13. And it’s a much, much, different world from when I entered my teen years. I didn’t have cell phones, or the internet, or anywhere near the entertainment or virtual reality options my son does now. I spent most of my time playing outside, my mom was working most... Read More